ext_71535 ([identity profile] frozen-jelly.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] alt_fen2009-02-07 05:31 pm

Strange choice of words

While reading Sirius' latest entry, I noticed this sentence:
"Nothing's worse for a flu than getting up one's Irish (and, er, Molly's got more than most, old man)."

I have absolutely no idea what this is meant to mean. I can only guess it is some vaguely racist use of the word Irish to mean angry or frustrated, which is very odd. Can anyone shed light on this usage, I have never heard it before? It really makes very little grammatical sense.
alt_moderator: (Default)

[personal profile] alt_moderator 2009-02-09 04:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Wow - while I knew about being "gypped" (and don't use the phrase) because of a friend whose family were Roma, I didn't know that "welching" was a reference to Welsh people, although I guess I ought to have figured it out.